Born in Gadsden, Alabama Omar
Cunningham has quickly positioned himself as one of the stars of the
Modern Southern Soul/R & B world. His first experience singing
professionally came as he backed a local R & B outfit dubbed
Daybreak. After touring for some time he logged some studio hours by
collaborating (according Omar's official bio) on records by Cameo
("In The Face Of Funk") and rapper Duice ("Dazzey Dukes") .
Following this he, as part of the Small Town Boys, began opening
shows for Cameo. He even played trumpet as part of the group's horn
section. Soon he was flying solo and opening for late 90s R & B/Pop
groups like Silk but it wasn't until 2003 that a record under his
own name dropped. "Hell At The House" included the single
"Check To Check", which became an irresistible smash in the South
instantly raising his stature from obscurity to artist to watch. The
following year he returned with an equally appealing hit, "I Get By"
for Willie Clayton's End Zone Entertainment label. He returned with
the label in
2006 with "Worth The Wait", then departed for
Soul1st Records for "Time
Served" and "Growing Pains".

***1/2An
impressive debut by Cunningham features a cache of Contemporary R &
B and a little Southern Soul. The first singe, "Check To Check", is
an absolute gem. A shoulder rollin', booty wiggler about living
paycheck to paycheck. "Sometimes my pockets be empty/And I just
don't know where I'm gonna turn/Lights, water and gas are
necessities but I'm bustin' my butt trying to get groceries/Soon as
I get money it leaves my hands/Tired of wrapping up pennies and
picking up cans." Few can't relate to this reality. While this track
is heads and tails above everything else on the record, the title
cut is another strong original that became a hit for Quinn Golden,
"231" brings the Funk while Sir Charles Jones duets with Cunningham
on the slinky "Half".

*** Cunningham
wastes no time riding the buzz he created with his first disc by
dropping another instant classic with "I Get By", which is identical
thematically to his "Check To Check". The vocal arrangement on the
refrain is extreme honey. But like his previous album the leadoff
singles are somewhat deceptive of what's actually on the album. "Omar
Cunningham" is predominately creamy smooth R & B ballads like
"Sweet Sweet", "She's Making Eyes", "Sorry Man" (with Jerry "Boogie"
McCain), "Momma" and "Shysters And Wannabes". The latter, a moody
creeper, is a duet with Willie Clayton where the legend hips the
young gun Cunningham to the pitfalls of the game. This and all
tracks are exquisitely sung and the production is clean and slick.
The only other upbeat jam is "My Baby" and that's perhaps the only
fault you could find with this set of original songs.

"Worth The
Wait" (EndZone 2006)

1. Party Have a
Good Time
2. Something's Gotta Give
3. Made My Move
4. The Only One
5. I'm Sorry
6. Give Me a Chance
7. I'm in Love with a Married Woman
8. Better Days
9. Shysters and Wannabes
10. Over Yonder
11. Have Faith

***On
each of Cunningham's previous discs he's released a knockout single
that ranked as one of the best of that year. From "Hell At The
House" he dropped "Check To Check" and from "Omar Cunningham" he
had a smash with "I'll Get By". The new "Worth The Wait" may
not have a single as undeniable as those gems but is still packed
with delicious material. Opening with a great summer track, the
steppin' "Party, Have A Good Time", Omar once again impresses with
his emotional, elastic voice. He's simple one of the best new "young
guns" of "Southern Soul". Truthfully, like Willie Clayton, his sound
could easily fit on mainstream "R & B" radio. Cunningham also has a
knack of casting himself as Everyman which strikes a never with his
audience. He was living "check to check" but despite the troubles he
said "I'll get by" but this time he casts himself as a street
dealing trying to make a living filled with regret wishing for those
"Better Days". There's a also a lyrically vivid relationship song,
"Something's Gotta Give", that captures the mood of a dying love
affair. Despite his gift for subject matter he's treading tired
ground on the first single "I'm In Love With A Married Woman", a
slick as oil headbobber with immaculate backing. (a couple more
uptempo cuts would've been cool) Willie Clayton lends his capable
chops (and advice) on the creepin' duet "Shysters And Wannabes". The
mentor warns of the backstabbers and scammers that are part of the
business. Sample lyric: "(Omar) I've been going through
changes/About to lose my mind/I done found that good help is hard to
find/When you think you got someone there for you Willie I need your
help/That's why I'm calling you/(Willie) Now listen little brother,
I wouldn't steer you wrong/That 'Hell At The House' was a badass
song...you know I've been around so listen I'll telling you what I'm
talking about..." Still the disc ends on an uplifting note with the
positive "Have Faith", a quiet storm slowie with tasteful piano and
acoustic guitar. This is the true sequel to "Check To Check" and
"I'll Get By".

"Time
Served" (Soul1st 2008)

1. Intro
2. Thats My Jam
3. My Life
4. By My Side
5. This Old Music
6. Skit
7. Ain't Nothing Changed
8. The Saga Continues
9. The Right Woman
10. The Same Soap
11. Check to Check 2008
12. If You Want Me
13. Could You Be
14. The Beauty Shop
15. Where Would I Be

*****He's
done it again. Actually better than before. A perfect Southern Soul
single with "My Life". Like "Check To Check" and "I'll Get By"
Cunningham has painted another aural picture sympathetic of the
Everyman's life. It's tough out here. At the same time it's
sentimental in it's earnest ruminations about his dear late
Grandmother who "was the truth" and a "little nappy-headed boy" who
"made it" despite humble beginnings. That little boy was Omar. And
what an emotive, Gospel-inflected vocal! This midtempo swayer is
simply inspiring and all hooks. Brilliant! It will be hard to find a
better song in 2008. "A lot of things I had to go without/I still
find it hard to talk about". That line gives me chills every time.

Like his previous LP's "Served" straddles
the line between mainstream R & B and "Party Blues". The
don't-get-caught-cheating song "The Same Soap" would easily pass for
an R. Kelly song. It's a lift-up-your cup rhythm slyly reminiscent
of Kelly's smash "Ignition (remix)". It's also a highly specific
cheating tale. TMI? He says he's gotta "smell the same when I get
home" so he needs the "same soap" he showered with at the crib. In
one sense he complains about how suspicious and investigative his
woman is but looks like she's justified. Better is the
faithful-minded "The Right Woman", a bumper featuring fellow Soul1st
Records artists Daybreakk! who send the refrain through the
stratosphere with their harmonies. The party dancers continue with
"This Old Music", "Check To Check 2008" and the steppin' "That's My
Jam", which could hit the mainstream charts if the "Blues" label
doesn't hold Omar back.

On the slow tip Omar only has
only a couple peers (Willie Clayton and Steve Perry) and this time
he serves up the piano ballad "Could You Be", the autobiographical "Ain't
Nothing Changed" and the clever "The Beauty Shop". Here he gets
busted when his girl hears gossip about Omar when she's getting her
hair done. She said "The beauty shop is putting our business in the
street". Forget about the soap Omar you can't wash away the 411.
Anyway the skinny on Omar and this album is you'd be a sho' nuff
fool not to buy it!

"Growing Pains" (Soul1st 2011)

1. Let Me See You Shake Your Jelly
2. Find A Good Woman
3. Here I Am
4. If We Can't Get Along
5. I'm Your Maintenance Man
6. That's a Lie
7. What You Want With My Moma
8. Do Right
9. Mr. Lowdown
10. Gotta Keep (Do You Know Him?)